For months, political parties unhappy with the electoral results have used the Election Commission as a convenient punching bag. Now, with the Samajwadi Party making significant gains in Uttar Pradesh’s Legislative Council elections, an awkward question presents itself- is the Election Commission suddenly acceptable when the results go your way?
The Samajwadi Party secured five of the 11 seats contested in the October 2026 elections, while the BJP won six. The results marked an improvement for Akhilesh Yadav’s party, which won three seats in the 2020 contest, while two went to Independents.
Among the SP’s notable victories were the Lucknow Graduates’ constituency, where Kanti Singh defeated sitting BJP MLC Avaneesh Kumar Singh, and the Varanasi Graduates’ seat, where Ashutosh Sinha emerged victorious. The party also secured victories in teachers’ constituencies, strengthening its position ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
The irony, however, lies in the political reactions surrounding the results. Before the final outcome, Akhilesh Yadav had raised concerns about delays in counting and demanded that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar ensure transparency. He also alleged malpractice and administrative manipulation in certain constituencies. These remain allegations, not established findings of electoral wrongdoing.
Now that the SP has registered important victories, will the party’s confidence in the electoral machinery improve? Will the same institution that faced criticism receive credit when its candidates win?
That is a fair question for every political party, not just the Samajwadi Party. Democratic institutions cannot be judged solely by whether they produce favourable results. Equally, allegations of irregularities should not be dismissed merely because a party has won seats.
The Election Commission must be transparent, impartial and accountable. Political parties, meanwhile, must substantiate their complaints with evidence rather than treat electoral outcomes as proof of institutional virtue or failure.
For the BJP, the results are a reminder that its dominance in Uttar Pradesh cannot simply be taken for granted. For the SP, the gains offer encouragement, but the Assembly election will be a much larger test.
Ultimately, democracy requires both institutional credibility and political consistency. The Election Commission should be judged by the fairness of its process, not by whose flag flies highest after the counting ends.
